'Friendship group saved me after my husband died'

Dorothy Shenton says she is always busy

A widow has described how a community friendship group became her "lifeline" after she lost her husband.

Dorothy and Roy Shenton moved to Lytham St Annes in Lancashire six years ago from Wiltshire and joined the group Just Good Friends to get to know people in their new town.

Roy, who used to work for the Williams Formula One team, died in 2023.

"When he died I thought 'everything changes' but the telephone never stopped ringing," said octogenarian great-grandmother Mrs Shenton.

She added: "People were saying 'come here, go there, come for lunch'.

"This last few years have been absolutely wonderful – saved my life. "

Even before her husband died the couple had been heavily involved in the group.

"Even though we were originally from Lancashire we'd had 40 years in the South.

"We had moved here and we didn't know many people, but once we joined we had a really good time."

The World Health Organization estimates one-in-four elderly people suffer from loneliness.

'Packed programme'

This is why groups like Just Good Friends are so important, said Mrs Shenton.

"In this group there is something going on every day," she explained.

A glance at the group's website reveals a busy programme including a drama group, snooker, a curry night and Sunday pub lunches.

Members are invited to meet regularly at venues across Lytham St Annes, or embark on walks around the area.

The group was formed by Bev Sykes in 2012.

After her mum died she said she wanted to "set up a friendship group as I realised that there were so many people in the community who were very lonely and unhappy".

She said it had since grown to 40-plus volunteers dedicated to "change lonely and empty lives to lives that are happy and fulfilled".